Towline



Aug. 5 1930. V v 'M. HARRIS 1,772,420

TOWLINE Filed Feb. 23, 1928 gwomtw 7 Marvin L. Harris Patented Aug. 5, 1930 UNITED STATES PATPE OFFICE I MARVIN L. HARRIS, or PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, AssIsnoR or ONE-HALF T WILLIAM e. GLEASON, an, or PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA I rowLInn Application filed February 23, 1928. Serial N 0. 256,309.

This invention tow lines.

The primary object of this invention is'the provision of an improved tow line consisting of a flexible strap or band of fabric or the like, preferably of a rectangular cross sec-- tion, which may be conveniently rolled into a small compass, and which has, improved holding means at the ends thereof by means 0' of which the strap may with facility be securely and efliciently attached to parts of vehicles. I

Other objects and advantagesof this invention will beapparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forminga part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

relates to improvements in Figure l is a plan'viewof a vehicle towing' another vehicle with-the improved tow line attachedto the vehicles. 1 I

Figure 2 is a side" elevation showing the improved tow line rolled within a small compass. 1 f

Figure 3 is a fragmentaryview showing the manner in which the improved tow line connection ismade to a vehicle" part, such as a'vehicle cross bar or axle, and showing that while the buckle for securing thetow line permits of a quickjreleaseof the tow line, yet under conditions of use, when the tow line is twisted, the buckle will notpermit of a detachment.

Figure 4 is a view showing how the operator may transversely flex thetow line to permit of its easy attachment or detachment with respect to the improved tow line hold ing means. I

Figure 5 is a side elevation of theimproved tow line at the connection with a vehicle part, showing the entrance end of the improved holding buckle.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 5.

In the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustrationisshown only a preferredembodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved tow line, 50 which may consist'of the flexible line portion tially U-shaped appearance,

B having improved holding means C at the I ends thereof. i

The linebody B is preefrably of composivery thick, but fairly-wide, and maybe rolled as shown in Figure 2 into a very compact circular or ring-shaped mass with one buckle at the center and the other buckle (J at the outer periphery Secured so as to hold. the strap bodyin a frictionally compacted relation, such as shown in Figure 2. i T

The holding means C is the same at each end of the strap, body B, and preferably con-' sists in the provision of a buckle membernlO,

of steel or other material, having a substanand consisting of parallel cross bars 11 and, 12 having a connecting side bar 13; all of the bars 11, '12 and 13 being preferably circular in section, and with the side bar 13 arranged in right angled relation at similar ends'of the cross bars 11 and 12. The bars 11 and 12 are considerably longer than the cross bar 13, and between the cross bars 11 and-12 is provided a pocket 14:. At the end of the cross bar 11, opposite the connected side bar 18, a head or annular flange 15 is provided, annularly flanged beyond the outer periphery of theadj acent surface of the cross bar 11. 0h this cross bar 11 the'end of the strap body B is adapted to have a permanent connection by doubling the end material of the body B upon itself in a closely encompassing relation about the cross bar 11, as shown at 20 in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, and the extreme end of the body B is then riveted to the belting bodyB in any approved manner, such as by a copper band 21 transversely. encircling the overlying end of the body; rivets 22 being transversely extended through the metal band 21 to rivet the extreme end of the belting body B in place upon the 'means upon the ends of the line body for at portion of the body upon which it lies, as can readily be understood from the drawing.

The free end of the cross bar 12 is provided with a1. obstruction in the nature of a retaining leg .80 extending at right angles to the axis of the cross bar 12 towards the head or flange 15, and it terminates short of the outer periphery of the flange 15 to provide an entrance way 31 to'the pocket 14, through which the line body may be transversely slipped lnto the pocket 14:. The width of the line body B is such that it just fits in the pocket 1a, with its side edges in close proximity to the slde bar 13, and the flange and obstruction 15 and 30 respectively, as shown in Figure 6.

It is of course understood that in order to place the line body B in the loop pocket 14, the line body B must be looped at its ends and then slipped transversely into the pocket 14:.

, Referring to the application of the holding tachment to vehicle parts, the end portion of the tow line is looped about the part F oi the vehicle to which the tow line is to be secured. lhe part F will ordinarily be either the axle or oneof the cross bars of the vehicle, or bumper, and after looping about this part F, the holding buckle 10 1s positionecl so that the operator may transversely move the tow line body into the entranceway 31, and into the pocket 14, and it will be held therein against liability of detachment by reasonof the obstruction leg 30. It has been found that upon going around corners, with the holding member 10 having merely the right angled obstruction 30, the line body mightslip through the entrance way 31 To prevent this occurrence, I provide a retain ng lip 40 upon the extreme end of the leg portion 30, extending at right angles to the latter into the pocket 14, for a short distance, and spaced sufiicientlytrom the inside edge of the cross bar 12 that the line body may, upon flexing, be slipped through the way into the pocket, and beneath the retaining 11p 40, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. Due to the natural tendency of the tow linebody to assume a transverse straightened appearance, the tow line body will hold this retained position below or behind the retaining lip 40,

. and upon being towed around street corners and the like, it is apparent from Figure 3 of the drawing that there will be no liability of slipping of the tow line through the entrance way, mainly by reason of the retaining lip 'It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the improved holding means is one which will enable a quick and efficient attachment of the ends of the tow line about parts of the towing and towed vehicles G and H respectively. Ordinary buckle expedients cannot be used with a vehicle tow line for the reason that buckles may be used at both ends of the tow line and itis impracbuckles are very often lost and do not provide the ehicient grip that a holding member will which is permanently secured at the extreme end of the tow line, and which yet enables a quick and eflicient attachment or detachment of the tow line intermediate its ends on the holding buckle to provide a loop which mayencompass a vehicle part.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangementof parts may bemade to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: v 1

1. In a tow line the combination of a fiat wide flexible strap-like body, a buckle permanently secured at the extreme end of the body providing a pocket having a lateral opening, the buckle having the pocket obstructed at said opening by a transverse leg lying in the general plane of the buckle, and the transverse leg at the free end thereof having a retaining lip in the plane of the buckle and extending into the pocket and beneath which the tow line body may he slipped when the tow line'body is looped intermediate its ends and slipped'into the pocket thru the entrance way. v

2. As an article of manufacture a tow line buckle comprising relatively long spaced parallel cross bars connected at similar ends by a side bar shorter than either of the cross bars, the oppositetree ends of the cross bars having obstructions thereon extending trans verse thereto, one of theobstructions extending transverselyacrossthepocket to restrict the entrance thereto, and said last mentioned obstruction having a retaining lip extending into; the pocket in spaced relation with re spect to the cross bar upon which said last mentioned obstruction is formed.

3. In a tow line the combination of a flexible strap-like body relatively wide and flat and of a nature to be longitudinally wound into a compact spiral roll, substantially U shaped retaining buckles permanently attached at the ends of said body, each of said buckles comprising a pair of spaced cross bars with a side connecting bar connecting similar ends of the cross bars; one of said cross bars of each buckle at its opposite end from the side connecting bar being provided with an enlarged head, the strap-like body being permanently looped about the last mentioned cross bar and held thereon by said head and the side connecting bar, the other. cross bar at the end thereof opposite' the side connecting barbeing providedwith a right angled extension projecting in the plane of the 100p partially across the space between said cross bars to restrict the entrance to said space at the side of the buckle opposite the side connecting bar, said extension at its free end being provided with a lip extending into the space between said cross bars in parallelism therewith and between which and the cross bar to which theextension is attached,

the body is adapted to be received in a re- 7 tained relation after being slipped into the restricted entrance into the space between said cross bars.

MARVIN L. HARRIS. 

